An Ache I Still Remember
by KittySkywalker
Summary: Yagari is forced to take care of Yuki for an evening. He ignores the fact that she has a childish crush on him. Yuki however, isn't so willing to be ignored. Beginnings of a YagarixYuki pairing. Please read and review.


Such a stupid girl…

Didn't she know these vampires could kill her? Not all of them were as well behaved as his former student.

He loosened his grip on her arm as he heard her gasp. She'd been attempting to wander about the town below Cross Academy on her own again. A particularly stupid idea, seeing as there had been reports of increasing numbers of level Es. He supposed it was a good thing he'd been sent to wander the town keeping a look out for any vampire that didn't seem to belong. Even the common vampires blended into society perfectly. They could mingle with humans no problem. Level Es tended to keep to themselves searching out a meal they desperately desired. Either that or they skulked about the shadows.

Why she had been wandering down a less frequented side street was a mystery to him. Not that he cared really. His only concern was getting her cuts and bruises cleaned up so he could send her home to her foster father. His home wasn't very far now, and once they got there he could drive them up the hill to the Academy. He could feel an impending headache just _thinking_ about how the Headmaster and his former apprentice would react to this.

He tightened his grip on her again as he led her up the path to his home, already digging his keys out of the back pocket of his jeans. He quickly opened the door and led her inside.

Yagari's house was clean though unorganized. Yuki bit the inside of her cheek to stifle a chuckle. The Headmaster would have a field day trying to spruce up his home. Yuki obediently sat in the chair her teacher had pulled out for her in the dining room. For some reason, she hadn't imagined him to have so many things. Yagari-sensei always seemed so…so… well he was different from any other man she'd met. He cared, but he hid that well. She jumped slightly when he flung his coat and hat onto the chair opposite her. The response didn't go unnoticed by him.

"Sorry," he said tersely as he pat her shoulder. Luckily he didn't touch the shoulder that was rather sore.

Her doe eyes followed him as he went to his kitchen sink filling a bowl with warm water and gathered a box full of bandages from a nearby drawer. Yuki couldn't stop staring at him. She liked the way his hair was untamed and looked silken to the touch. She was intrigued by the way he rolled his shoulders and his back clicked softly in response. She liked the way he looked eerily similar to a cowboy, and she greatly appreciated how his tight blue jeans accentuated his very nice backside. She realized he was gruff and flawed, but he was human. And Yuki had come to a sad realization that he was the only human man she'd ever been so greatly attracted to.

She'd adored Kaname ever since she was a little girl. But he was a pureblood; he may have been able to be with her for a short time though not forever. She didn't suit him, a fact the members of the Night Class were all too willing to remind her of.

The feelings she had for Zero seemed as if they would be instantly rejected by the hunter. She wanted to be closer to him, yet even when she thought him human he was closed off to her. She'd hoped that now she knew he was a vampire the cold demeanor he presented her would begin to fade away. Sadly, she'd been mistaken.

She sighed softly though smiled when Yagari turned to her. He plopped everything on the table then kneeled down in front of her. He huffed as he dampened a cloth and figured out what he should take care of first.

Yuki's smile faded quickly. All she ever seemed to do was inconvenience people. When she tried to be independent and learn how to handle herself, she only wound up in trouble. Hence why she'd begrudgingly been taken to Yagari-sensei's home.

She flushed faintly as he lifted one of her legs and rested her foot on his thigh. Her stomach fluttered at the warmth on the underside of her small foot, and she forced herself not to move and inch. His calloused fingers were ghosting over her skin taking care not brush against any scrapes.

He gently pressed the cloth against one of the larger gashes close to her knee. An involuntary hiss escaped her lips as she realized he must have put soap in the water to help prevent infection. He looked up at her for a moment and she wasn't sure what she saw. Was it annoyance at her weakness or sympathy for the discomfort she was in?  
"Sorry," she said, clenching her hands determined not to let another sound out.

"Its fine," he quipped.

Yuki slumped in the chair now sure she was only being a bother. She was silent as he quickly wiped down the abrasions on her legs and arms, also checking for any bite marks. He was relieved when he found none. He placed gauze or large bandages on her skin then put everything back in its place.

The quiet was unsettling. She would much rather have had a lecture from him than the cold shoulder. But she refused to admit to herself that she ached to hear his deep voice directed towards her. She cleared her throat delicately and smiled. "Thank you."

He gave her a non-verbal response. Her smile dulled as she came to terms with the fact he wasn't going to be speaking to her any time soon.

She heard three distinct beeps and then a low humming signaling he'd put something in the microwave. He lit up a cigarette and exhaled a lungful of smoke. She was glad he hadn't asked if she was alright with it. After all, this was _his_ home. She jumped slightly when the microwave beeped incessantly and he flung the door open. He scraped the food onto a dish and grabbed a bottle of water from his refrigerator. He set it down before her without fanfare.

"You need to eat," he commanded. She nodded eagerly picking up the fork he'd given her and stirring the pasta dish around to let some of the steam escape. She didn't want to add a blistering tongue to the list that night. "I'm calling your father," he said as he left the room.

"Thank you!" she called out. Only to greeted by silence.

She couldn't help but sulk at his actions. Then again, she also knew he had every right to act like this. He could very well have left her there in that abandoned street. But she knew deep down he wouldn't. She could say from experience the man had a kind heart. She twirled a noodle around her fork and blew on it. She chewed hesitantly before she decided it tasted nice for a microwave dinner.

Yagari smashed Cross' cell phone into his own before waiting impatiently. It was the easiest way to get hold of the man though the hunter was still bristling. It wasn't that he didn't like the girl, he _did_. It would have been a tragedy had anything happened to her. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he waited for the phone to stop ringing.

"Hello?" came a distressed voice.

"Cross? It's Yagari."

"Oh, hey Toga. What's going on?" the Headmaster sounded distracted.

"I found your daughter wandering around town."

"She's with you? Oh thank God," Cross sighed in relief.

"Yeah we're both at my house. How long has she been gone?"

"I don't know. We've had a power outage at the school all day. We thought she'd be going to the dorms to make sure none of the Day Class girls tried to sneak out to the Night Class. But nobody had seen her—"

"Yeah, alright, I get it," Yagari cut him off.

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Yagari reassured him, "Has a few bumps and bruises but she's good. I've given her something to eat. After that I'll bring her home."

"Eh, Toga," Cross ventured hesitantly.

"What?"

"Sounds like she's had a pretty rough day. Bringing her home right now will only make it worse. Can you bring her home tomorrow morning? I want her to get some rest," Cross explained.

Yagari nearly swooned. He didn't have anywhere for a sixteen year old girl to sleep! He'd offer her his bed sure, but was he the _only_ one who found it strange? He worried about Cross' parenting skills if he was perfectly okay to let his daughter stay in an older man's house. _Alone_.

"I'd be more comfortable bringing her home tonight Kaien," he said.

"Toga please just do this for me this once, okay?" He could hear how stressed the Headmaster of the Academy was. He sighed deeply, regretting it already.

"Sure. I'll bring her home first thing in the morning."

"Thanks Toga. Listen I gotta go. I'm waiting for the electric company to call back."  
"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

Toga buried his face in his hands and let out a lamenting groan. He didn't want to have to deal with this. Oh well, he didn't mind sleeping on his couch. He headed back out to the kitchen to see Yuki washing her plate in the sink. When she turned to search for the paper towel she gasped surprised to see him standing there.

"I'll take you home in the morning," he declared.

"O-okay."

"Let me go get you some clothes to sleep in." It wasn't like he really had anything for a young girl to wear, but his clean old T-shirts would be alright for her. He grabbed one out of his dresser in his bedroom and tossed it to her.

"The bathroom's down the hall anytime you need it," he said pointing to his right.  
Yuki wandered down the hall and closed the door behind her. She slipped out her now grungy clothes and threw on his T-shirt. She had a suspicion that this one was oversized even on him. He was tall but he was slim, and she seemed to drown in this shirt. Though it smelled like him and she was comforted by that. She had the irrational hope that she might be able to keep it.

She folded up her clothes and tiptoed out to the kitchen. She set them down on one of the chairs, unsure of where else to put them and went in search for him. She found him flipping through the TV channels in his living room. She wandered over to the couch.  
"Can I sit with you?"

"Make yourself at home."

She sat down gingerly; disappointed he wouldn't even throw a glance her way. She didn't sit right next to him. She understood she was a young woman and it wasn't okay for her to be overly familiar with a man his age. But his age didn't matter to her. She was attracted to him, and intrigued by him. She wanted to know more about him. But there was a vast gap between the two of them. One she could never hope crossing. Even so, she was _tired_. She was in _pain_. And she really wanted a little affection thrown her way.  
Cautiously she scooted closer to him and rested her head against his shoulder. She stayed tense waiting for him to get up, push her off, anything. She slowly relaxed when he did nothing. She stared blankly at the TV, the images letting her mind wander. Eventually, she nodded off to sleep.

Yagari shut the television off after Yuki had been breathing evenly for the better part of an hour. He steadily raised himself out of his seat and she rubbed her eyes then stifled a yawn.

"Come on," he prompted, "Time you went to bed." Her brown eyes were dazed and she fully laid down on his sofa. Yagari sighed irritated. Could she not just cooperate? He was tired too. "My room is just down the hall."

Yuki grumbled in response. Frustrated, Toga began to wind his arms around her back and under her knees fully intent on carrying her to the bed.

"I wanna sleep here," she whispered curling into a ball. She grabbed a nearby cushion and shoved it under her head.

Deciding to give up, Yagari wandered to his linen closet and grabbed a blanket for her. He draped it over, tenderly tucking it around her. As frazzled as he was, he knew he had a very sweet girl in his temporary care. He didn't want to be mean, but he had to put up an icy exterior lest something were to happen. Not that he ever thought it would. He was a grown man. She was still practically a child. But when he caught her looking at him sometimes, his stomach clenched with what he saw. Perhaps he was being too vain thinking the girl had a crush on him. But if she did…he was mortified at the thought of their personal spaces being invaded by each other. He looked down at her sleeping soundly and shook his head. He'd gotten to know this girl a little, and he doubted she was the type to try to initiate anything. _If_ she liked him in such a way. He patted her head gently, frowning at the way her short brown hair caught on his calloused fingers. He pulled away and muttered, "Sleep tight."

She woke up as she turned on her side. Her body was sore, and she was alone.

She'd been alone in that small dank street. When no one was with her she panicked—even to this day. The thought that there was a monster lurking, waiting to eat her, petrified her. She'd been so sure something had been chasing her. So she ran. She ran without rhyme or reason, bumping into things, falling down, getting up, and repeating the cycle. Then she'd seen him, and a glimmer of hope came to her. If she could stay by him, then she was safe…

Yuki sat up slowly, muscles protesting violently. She looked around the living room. It was dark inside and the street beyond was still as well. Maybe it was just her fatigue, but she'd never experienced a moment when she wanted to be near someone so desperately.

Yuki threw off the blanket and padded her way over to where his bedroom was. She stood in the doorway conflicted. Her father would be furious and rightfully so, _he_ would be furious. But she needed to be with someone.

She dared to enter his room while he slept. She kept her eyes on him and she stepped closer to the bed. He dozed on his left side facing away from her. He didn't snore, something she wouldn't have expected.

Gathering her courage she grabbed onto the sheets and quickly slid under them. She laid still for a moment. She let out a breath slow enough to leave her dizzy when he didn't move. The sheets smelled like him. Cigarettes and his cologne, the scent of his shampoo replaced leather now. She felt safe. She felt at ease. And she also felt like pushing her luck.

She gently shifted so she laid on her side and pushed her back against his.

The reaction was instant.

He shot up and her body tensed all over. Who would have guessed the man was a rather light sleeper?

He looked down at her dumbfounded then enraged. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry," her stomach was in knots, "I just—I just wanted to be with somebody."  
"For Christ's sake," he muttered darkly, "I'm old enough to be your father girl! You can't crawl into bed with me." He climbed out of the bed ready to go take up residence on the couch.

"Wait!" Yuki flung herself up and grabbed onto the back of the white shirt he wore. She noticed that he only wore a T-shirt and boxers to bed, and that it hurt to rest on her knees like this. She sank down lower onto the mattress yet didn't releaser her grip. "I'm sorry, but please I don't want to be alone."

"I can't do this," he responded quietly. He couldn't share a bed with a sixteen year old girl. He had morals for God's sake.

"I won't do anything. I promise," she pleaded, "I don't move around a lot when I sleep… Can I please be near you?"

He wasn't even looking at her face and she was breaking his heart. He understood she was experiencing a childlike moment of neediness, but he couldn't be the one to fulfill that role for her. He made to move away though her grip was still locked onto his shirt. He ran his fingers through his hair, before sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Fine. Just keep your back pressed to mine like before," he said in defeat.

Yuki smiled before furrowing her brow. "But…if I do that then you'll know when I move. Even a little…"

He chuckled humorlessly, "_I know. That's the point_."

She awakened hours later, her shoulder screaming at her to change sleeping positions. She dazedly rolled over onto her tummy, letting out a yawn. However in the minimal awareness she had, her aches and pains made themselves known more intensely. She whimpered quietly before she remembered where exactly she was.

She blinked rapidly, clearing her vision, before focusing on him. He was still breathing evenly though she held her breath when he rolled over onto his back. Moments that lasted eternity passed before she let out a quiet sigh of relief. She stared at him, more intently, memorizing his handsome face. She wanted to reach out to touch him though that would be madness.

Everything seemed hard about him. His facial features that were usually pulled into a scowl or a stern glower, his muscles that he'd probably trained hard for, even is personality… However, his lips looked very soft.

A thought entered Yuki's head. A delirious thought. A stupid thought. A thought she wouldn't be able to get rid of. One that would haunt her if she didn't at least _try_ to act upon it.

Steadily, she leaned up so she rested her weight on her forearms. Then she scooted over closer to him. When she was close enough his breath drowned out all other noise, she leaned in.

She lovingly placed her lips on his. Her face burned. She was stealing a kiss from her teacher in his sleep, but she treasured the moment. His lips _were_ very soft and firm and warm. She pulled back slowly already missing his heat and she opened her eyes. A single blue one was staring right back at her. Yuki froze.

Oh God, she'd woken him up…

There was anger and what also seemed like terror in his gaze. Too far in shock to yell he whispered, "What the fuck are you doing?"

She…she'd just _kissed_ him. _When he was asleep_. This was precisely what he'd been afraid of! He knew it was a bad idea right from the start. He didn't have the words to begin with, and they fled from him even faster at the sight of her close to tears and trembling.

He ran a hand down his face and impulsively pulled her to his chest. Her body was a tightly coiled spring waiting for him to scream at her. He patted her head and took a moment to gather his thoughts.

"Yuki," he felt her flinch the first time he said her name that evening, "I'll make a deal with you. If you stop doing things like this _right now_ and you still like me then…I'll give you a real kiss on your eighteenth birthday."

_A story written for someone on Deviantart. They wanted a YagarixYuki story, and I can enjoy that pairing so I thought I'd give it my best try. I don't think I will continue this piece though I may do other one-shots of this pairing in the future. Not sure, just depends on how inspire I am XD I feel like this story has a "Lolita" vibe to it. And I like that. (And when I say Lolita, I don't mean the fashion I'm talking about the novel and/or film. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then it's time for google.) Last but certainly not least, please leave a review. Feedback helps us all!_


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